English Verb Tenses: Structures and Usage

Present Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + Verb (base form) / 3rd person + s + Object (e.g., They wake up at 9 pm)
• Negative: Subject + don't/doesn't + Verb (base form) + Object (e.g., They don’t wake up at 9 pm)
• Interrogative: Do/Does + Subject + Verb (base form) + Object? (e.g., Do they wake up at 9 pm?)

Keywords: Usually, always, never, often, every day, sometimes.

Present Continuous

• Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + Verb-ing + Object (e.g., He is reading a book)
• Negative: Subject + am not/isn't/aren't + Verb-ing + Object (e.g., He isn't reading a book)
• Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + Subject + Verb-ing + Object? (e.g., Is he reading a book?)

Keywords: Now, right now, this year, always.

Past Simple

• Affirmative: Subject + Verb (-ed/2nd column) + Object (e.g., He played a match yesterday)
• Negative: Subject + didn't + Verb (base form) + Object (e.g., He didn't play a match yesterday)
• Interrogative: Did + Subject + Verb (base form) + Object? (e.g., Did he play a match yesterday?)

Keywords: Yesterday, last week, 5 hours ago.

Past Continuous

• Affirmative: Subject + was/were + Verb-ing + Object (e.g., He was watching TV yesterday at 7 pm)
• Negative: Subject + wasn't/weren't + Verb-ing + Object (e.g., He wasn't watching TV yesterday at 7 pm)
• Interrogative: Was/were + Subject + Verb-ing + Object? (e.g., Was he watching TV yesterday at 7 pm?)

Keywords: While, when, at yesterday.

Past Perfect

• Affirmative: Subject + had + Verb (past participle) + Object (e.g., He had watched this film)
• Negative: Subject + hadn't + Verb (past participle) + Object (e.g., He hadn't watched this film)
• Interrogative: Had + Subject + Verb (past participle) + Object? (e.g., Had he watched this film?)

Keywords: After, before, by the time.

Future Tense

Will

• Affirmative: Subject + will + Verb (base form) + Object (e.g., Tomorrow, it will rain)
• Negative: Subject + won't + Verb (base form) + Object (e.g., Tomorrow, it won't rain)
• Interrogative: Will + Subject + Verb (base form) + Object? (e.g., Tomorrow, will it rain?)

Be Going To

• Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + going to + Verb (base form) + Object (e.g., Look at the sky, it’s going to rain)
• Negative: Subject + am not/isn't/aren't + going to + Verb (base form) + Object (e.g., Look at the sky, it isn't going to rain)
• Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + Subject + going to + Verb (base form) + Object? (e.g., Look at the sky, is it going to rain?)

Present Perfect

• Affirmative: Subject + have/has + Verb (past participle) + Object (e.g., He has been to Cuba)
• Negative: Subject + hasn't/haven't + Verb (past participle) + Object (e.g., He hasn't been to Cuba)
• Interrogative: Has/Have + Subject + Verb (past participle) + Object? (e.g., Has he been to Cuba?)

Keywords: Already, yet, just, since/for, never/ever.